There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy's age—until Tacy's family moves into the house across the street. And from the moment she shyly arrives at Betsy's fifth birthday party, the two become such fast friends that everyone soon thinks of them as one person: Betsy-Tacy. A favorite of literate girls since 1940, the Betsy-Tacy books are based on Maud Hart Lovelace's own childhood in turn-of-the-century Minnesota, and follow Betsy and her friends into adulthood. This 60th anniversary edition of the first book, for readers 6 and up, features the original drawings by Lois Lenski, as well as an author's note, a brief biography, and notes on the real-life inspirations for the Betsy-Tacy stories.